Just got back from a weekend away to celebrate my friends birthday. We made the plans in the summer when the weather was milder and my pains at a manageable level. But as the event loomed true to form with this blasted condition I was in the grip of a flare up felt awful pain at a 10+ and exhaustion all consuming. Too add to that ive recently developed spasms in my neck which required a hospital visit, xrays, a neck brace and more meds. As you can imagin I was in two minds about going right up to the last min.

An hour before we were ment to meet to catch a train I finally decided to pack a bag nd go. I wanted to, at least for 1 wknd, pretend I was the fun loving sociable wee person I used to be before fibro stole away parts of my life. So I went had a blast, ate out, drank champagne, danced like no one was watching laughed and acted silly and felt for a weekend young and care free.

Today im paying the piper in spades!!! I ache all over ouch ouch ouch but ive a smile on my face a mile wide. It was amazing to be with my best friends we been friends now for 30 yrs and it was so much fun to laugh and share old memories and make new oneS.

So fibro do your worse cuz im gonna fight each pain wiv a chuckle a smile and a memory and the certainty that my friends will still be there 30 yrs from now if god spares us and hopefully we will still be causing mayhem together in the old folks home. Xxx

Aww thanx guys have to say I had a blast and felt 'normal' for a weekend at least so every ouch arrrrg eeeek and wince im feeling is worth it.

I think weve all lost something of ourselves to this damn condition - be it our ability to work socialise live or love without pain! so its nice to know that somewhere underneath the pain, discomfort, fatigue, weariness, frustration and loss, the true essence of ourself remains.

During the weekend I was lucky to catch a glimpse of the carefree girl I was before fibro attacked. So dont give up hope guys the true you is still there just waiting to make a reappearance everytime we manage to forget about & overcome, even for the shortest while, this horrible health condition.

Hoping yas all catch a reflection of your true essence and get to dance like no one is watching real soon untill then take care

We have a friend who owns a bar called the bridge out near dunloy and hed invited us down to see Bagatell (you mite have heard of them they're a well known local irish group) We stayed in Ballymena for the weekend at the adair arms . We had a gr8 wknd eating out, drinking, dancing to bagatell, shopping and watching the manunited match in the countryman pub. Is it any wonder im aching now lol I forgot the key principal to good fibro management - Pace Pace and oh yeah Pace x ps it was worth da pain